Are Heavy Periods Disrupting Your Life?

If you’re soaking pads or tampons every hour or embarrassed by period leaks, it’s time to consider a diagnostic evaluation for heavy periods. Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding can interfere with your quality of life and lead to health complications like anemia without treatment.

At Salem Women’s Clinic, Inc., our experienced OB/GYNs understand how disruptive heavy periods can be for adolescent girls and adult women. 

Our team offers comprehensive health evaluations to uncover the root cause of heavy bleeding and designs a treatment plan to regulate your periods so you can live without limitations.

Why are periods so heavy?

Heavy menstrual bleeding describes periods where blood flow is excessive, or passing quarter-sized blood clots. You may also have heavy bleeding if your period lasts more than seven days.

There are several reasons why your periods may be heavy, including:

• Polyps
• Fibroids
• Infection
• Hormone imbalance
• Uterine cancer

In some cases, heavy bleeding can occur with an ectopic pregnancy or be a warning sign of a miscarriage. You shouldn’t put off a diagnostic evaluation with our team since some causes of heavy periods can be critical.

What does an evaluation for heavy periods include?

An evaluation for heavy periods is often necessary if you’re soaking through pads or tampons every hour, regularly changing clothing because of leaks, or skipping work or social events because of excessive bleeding.

Salem Women’s Clinic, Inc. offers comprehensive evaluations that include pelvic exams and ultrasound imaging. Our providers may also perform a hysteroscopy, a minimally invasive procedure to check for fibroids, polyps, and other uterine abnormalities contributing to heavy bleeding.

You might also need blood work to check for anemia, a potential side effect of losing too much blood. Anemia develops when your blood isn’t producing enough red blood cells to support your overall health. The condition can leave you feeling exhausted and short of breath.

After your exam and tests are complete, our team discusses your options for treatment. They customize a care plan to control heavy bleeding and prevent further disruptions to your life.

Treatment options for heavy periods

The treatment options for heavy periods depend on what’s causing the excessive bleeding, your overall health, and your family plans.

The team can prescribe anti-inflammatories and birth control pills to reduce bleeding and regulate your period. You may also need to take an iron supplement to address underlying anemia.

If you have uterine fibroids or other abnormal growths, you may need a minimally invasive procedure to remove them. We also offer endometrial ablation, a procedure that destroys the lining of your uterus. An ablation is only an option if you’re not having children because a pregnancy after the treatment is risky.

A hysterectomy is another option for women with heavy periods who aren’t treatable with other strategies. During a hysterectomy, your surgeon removes your uterus and other reproductive organs, so you no longer have a period.

You don’t have to be embarrassed by heavy periods. Call Salem Women’s Clinic, Inc. in Salem, Oregon, to schedule a diagnostic evaluation or book an appointment online today.